


Strangers When We Meet

by cephalopod_groupie



Series: Newmann Tumblr Ficlets, Prompts, and AUs [25]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Professors, Alternate Universe - Teachers, M/M, Sexual Tension, Strangers, pinkie prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-20 12:59:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3651231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cephalopod_groupie/pseuds/cephalopod_groupie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Happy to meet a fellow tourist from the same country newmann AU. Maybe something like newt showing Hermann around Japan. - pinkieblues</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strangers When We Meet

Hermann Gottlieb emerged from his room after a heavy, jet-lagged-induced nap. He had a whole two days to get his bearings before classes began. He found a nice sunny spot in the lobby and sat down, turning on his tablet. After going through a few emails, he looked up and stretched. A young-ish man standing at the check-in desk caught his eye. Hermann held his breath. Aside from the scruffy hair, generally disheveled appearance, and the garish tattoos, Hermann thought he was “bloody gorgeous,” and said so under his breath. Though he was 100 yards away, he seemed very close in the bright, swanky, open lobby. The man was just turning to leave when he caught Hermann looking at him. Hermann promptly snapped his head down and pretended to navigate his tablet intently, his fingers moving erratically. The man sat down on an identical chair near to him. Hermann couldn’t tell if he felt excited or scared. After a few minutes of hearing the man gently flick through a magazine the noise stopped.

"Too shy to ask for directions?"

"Huh?" he said, "Oh, ha, no, I…"

"I know my way around here pretty well if you wanted me to give you directions or recommend a place to eat."

"Thank you, that’s kind of you. First time I’ve been here, so perhaps you could help me find a place or two."

"Sure," the man said, eyeing Hermann a little more boldly, "I’m Newt Geiszler."

"Hermann Gottlieb," he said as they shook hands. Newton inhaled sharply.

"Newt is short for…"

"Newton. But everyone calls me Newt."

"I see."

"Where did you need to go?"

"University of Tokyo."

"Oh, a professor, huh?"

"I’m a guest of the mathematics department. Just for this semester. I've come from UCLA."

"Me too. I-I’m a professor, I mean, but not of mathematics."

"Oh?" Hermann looked uncharacteristically winsome. The way he raised his eyebrows made Newt’s stomach flip in a truly exhilarating way.

"Bio. …Come on, I’ll show you where the university is and um, I was going to get a late lunch. Wanna join me?"

"Sounds lo-nice," Hermann stopped himself from saying lovely and started to get up, leaning on his cane. Newton’s face fell.

"Um, it’s a half hour walk to the university…"

"We’ll walk a short while and perhaps take a bus."

"Kay," Newt said, desperately trying to be nonchalant. They did catch a bus eventually, but were so engrossed in talking about the great city and goodnatured bickering about the relevance of mathematics over biology that they walked until Hermann suddenly realized he was in discomfort.

"You ok?" Newton said with genuine concern as he saw Hermann grimace slightly.

"I’m alright, I’m not an invalid," Hermann snapped.

"Sorry," Newton said, pulling his hand away from Hermann’s arm.

"I didn’t mean to be short with you, I just, I think we should find a bus."

"Sure, sure," Newton said, simultaneously thinking "crap, crap." Hermann finished taking notes of the journey and Newt lead the way to one of his favorite joints. They talked and bickered just as much as they ate and enjoyed it so much that they had dinner as well. They headed back to the hotel and awkwardly bid eachother goodnight, agreeing to see eachother for lunch and dinner the following day before Newton had to catch a flight to LA. Hermann, as much to his own surprise as Newton’s, accompanied him to the airport. Hermann stood next to the taxi as Newton stepped up on the curb, swinging his bag over his shoulder.

"So."

"So."

Newton just thought, “oh screw it” and kissed Hermann on the cheek. Hermann looked like someone had knocked his cane out from under him when in fact that was the only thing keeping him standing.

"Uh, ok," Newton said, "I’d better go." Hermann was very glad Newton’s business card was in his breast pocket. They shook hands, both looking off to the side or at the ground. Newton headed for the sliding airport doors and stopped, calling back.

"I’ll see you in LA!"

"What?"

"I’m the new biology professor at UCLA!

"YOU!"

**Author's Note:**

> [Originally posted Sep 18th, 2014.](http://missanthropicprinciple.tumblr.com/post/97863938688/happy-to-meet-a-fellow-tourist-from-the-same)
> 
>  
> 
>  _Strangers When We Meet_ is the title of a song by David Bowie.


End file.
